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About This Track
“A New England” is a song by Billy Bragg that was successfully covered by Kirsty MacColl in 1984. Produced by her then-husband Steve Lillywhite, the song was her biggest solo hit - reaching #7 in the UK charts and #8 in Ireland.
Bragg’s original version of the song, included on his album Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs Spy, had only two verses. MacColl thought the song was too short, and so Bragg wrote a further two verses for her, which she consolidated into one. Since MacColl’s death, Bragg has included the additional verse in performances of the song as a tribute.
According to the A New England Songfacts, Bragg’s original version was first played by influential BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel because Bragg heard him lamenting on air that he’d do anything for a vegetable curry. The inventive Bragg sped to Radio 1 with a copy of his mini-album and a curry. Peel proceeded to play the track at the wrong speed.
The opening lines of the song (“I was 21 years when I wrote this song/I’m 22 now, but I won’t be for long”) are identical to the opening lines of Paul Simon’s song “Leaves That Are Green,” which appears on Simon and Garfunkel’s 1966 album Sounds Of Silence. In concert, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on 27 September 2006, Bragg stated that Simon and Garfunkel had a strong influence on him, and that he took the line from their song intentionally.
Bragg says that the song had its origins in seeing two satellites flying alongside each other. Searching for romantic inspiration, he had to make do with “space hardware”.
Bragg’s original version of the song, included on his album Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs Spy, had only two verses. MacColl thought the song was too short, and so Bragg wrote a further two verses for her, which she consolidated into one. Since MacColl’s death, Bragg has included the additional verse in performances of the song as a tribute.
According to the A New England Songfacts, Bragg’s original version was first played by influential BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel because Bragg heard him lamenting on air that he’d do anything for a vegetable curry. The inventive Bragg sped to Radio 1 with a copy of his mini-album and a curry. Peel proceeded to play the track at the wrong speed.
The opening lines of the song (“I was 21 years when I wrote this song/I’m 22 now, but I won’t be for long”) are identical to the opening lines of Paul Simon’s song “Leaves That Are Green,” which appears on Simon and Garfunkel’s 1966 album Sounds Of Silence. In concert, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on 27 September 2006, Bragg stated that Simon and Garfunkel had a strong influence on him, and that he took the line from their song intentionally.
Bragg says that the song had its origins in seeing two satellites flying alongside each other. Searching for romantic inspiration, he had to make do with “space hardware”.
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Albums featuring this track
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Back To Basics
Billy Bragg
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The Peel Sessions
Billy Bragg Buy- Download Album
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Life's A Riot With Spy vs Spy
Billy Bragg Buy- Download Album
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Shouts
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hanstone wrote:
Gear!
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f_k_o_s wrote:
Simply brilliant -.-
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whuts wrote:
Top tune.
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weegee64 wrote:
i'm twenty two now, but i won't be for long
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starfloka wrote:
still good
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PrettyStar wrote:
всё гениальное просто
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i-listen wrote:
it is unbelievable what this song means to me. I can`t believe it myself how much this changed my life and the way I looked at the world ever after. This was the first song of BB and it was the start of listening hours and hours to the others. Life's A Riot With Spy vs Spy!
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unspeakablerx wrote:
i can't survive on what you send everytime you need a friend... ladies need to pay attention to that line
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Jens33 wrote:
a classic!!!!
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postshanna wrote:
austin 2007!!!!
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RichInNC wrote:
I feel like this song is the story of my life. Of course, there are about 10 Billy Bragg songs I can say that about. I love him for always singing Kirsty's extra verse when he plays this one now.
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RDMcNamara wrote:
'I just feel sad about letting you know....'
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owneroperator wrote:
i saw two shooting stars last night...
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rubysparkles wrote:
What fantastic related tracks. This is my most played song. :)
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Aldi6Lidl wrote:
me too
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weebly wrote:
Takes me right back to being a teenager!
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keltoi21 wrote:
I'm not looking for a New England...this song is awesome......
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imaginaryangie wrote:
Ah, such love! "I wish, I wish, I wish you cared..." <3
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AndyAussemForum wrote:
best!
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sparklecrunch wrote:
Red Wedge..man, not heard that in a few years!! Billy rocks :)
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